Folding vehicle.



8. DAY.

FOLDING VEH ICLE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 8, 1909.

1,136,659, Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

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s. DAY.

FOLDING VEHICLE.

MPPLICATION FILED APR. 8, 1909.

1,136,659. Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

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S. DAY.

FOLDING VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8, I909. 1,136,659, Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

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STILLMAN DAY, OF LEOIVIINSTER, MASSA CHUSETIS, ASSIGNOR T0 F. A. WHITNEY CARRIAGE (30., OF LEOMINSTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- OHUSE'ITTS.

FOLDING VEHICLE.

Application filed April 8, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STILLMAN DAY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Leominster, Worcester county, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Folding Vehicles, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to vehicles and more particularly to folding vehicles. V

In order that the character of the invention may be readily understood, I have disclosed an illustrative embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a folding vehicle embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the lower portion there of; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the body frame of the vehicle and the forward portion of the seat frame and connected parts; Fig. i is a rear elevation, parts being brokenaway, of the vehicle shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the seat and body frames and representing one of the wheel supports as partially collapsed; and Fig. 6 is an end elevation representing the vehicle in collapsed position; Fig. 7 is a detail of the braking mechanism; and Fig. 8 is a detached detail in bottom plan view hereinafter explained.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, the illustrative body frame 1 of the vehicle comprises a preferably metallic U shaped band, the rear ends thereof being connected by crossbraces 2 and 3. Pivoted to the rear ends of the body frame at 4: are the handle bars 5 adapted to swing to and fro to be locked in erected position by the toggle levers 6 at opposite sides of the vehicle.

The running gear of the vehicle may be collapsibly mounted in any practicable manner, For instance, the front and rear wheels 7 and 8 may be mounted upon longitudinal side frames 9 having inwardly and downwardly bent ends 10, 1O pivoted at 11 to downwardly extended angle pieces 12 de pending from the body frame 1. By the described construction the wheels 7 and 8 may be folded inwardly under the body frame.

The wheels may be folded in any suitable manner, as by means of a wheel controlling bail 13, and may be additionally positioned or braced by a bracing bail 15. The two Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915. Serial No. 488,545.

bails are preferably connected for conjoint movement. The said erecting bail 13 is of general U shaped form, the legs thereof being pivotally connected to the body frame 1 in any suitable manner, said bail having if desired braces let shown in Fig. 4;. The bracing bail 15 is preferably similar in construction, and pivotally secured to the body frame 1. Preferably the bails 13 and 15 are connected for conjoint movement by links 16 connected by links 17, 18 to the bails 13, 15. One of the bails, for example, the forward bail 15, may be provided with a handle 19 for conveniently operating the bails and by means of which the vehicle may be carried when in collapsed position.

In the specific embodiment shown, the running gear is erected and folded by the bail 13; and for that purpose one of the wheelcarrying side frames 9 is provided with a cam and guide 20, 21, between which is received a portion of the said bail 13; and the opposite side frame 9 has a similar guide 22.

In collapsing the running gear, in the illustrative embodiment, the bracing bail 15 is pulled forwardly; and thereby, through the links 16, 16, the bail 13 is drawn forward and, cooperating with the guides 21, 22, folds the wheel-carrying side frames in succession inwardly under the body of the vehicle. The guides 21, 22 are differently shaped, as shown, so that one side frame is folded earlier or faster, in the collapsing movement, than the other so that when folded the wheels overlap as shown in Fig. 6. In erecting the vehicle the operation is reversed, the bail 15 being forced rearwardly thereby wedging the side frames 9 into erectedposition. The bail 13 when erected bears against the inner edges of the said side frames. The bail 15 may assist in the erecting action, or may act subsequently to brace the forward parts of the side frames 9 when the erecting action has been substantially completed by the bail 13. v One or both of the bails may be locked in erected position to prevent accidental collapse; and this may be efiected, for instance, by a spring latch shown in detached bottom plan view in Fig. 8 and in side elevation in Fig. 1; The bail 13 snaps by the latch 60 and is held thereby against collapsing until deliberately forced past the latch by operation of the collapsing mechanism.

' In the present embodiment of my invention, I contemplate the employment of a seat frame which may be collapsed against the body frame and be positioned or elevated by suitable erecting mechanism, as, for instance, the handle bars. Also the seat frame may be cushioned by the action of the erecting mechanism. That is to-say, the cushioning means for the seat frame may be rendered active automatically by the seat erecting operation.

Referring to the specific disclosure of Fig. 1, the seat 23 has connected thereto straps 24, of metal if desired (see also Fig. 3) which are pivoted at their forward ends to the cross bar of a yoke 25 pivoted at 2'6, 26 to the sides of the body frame in such manner as to swing up and down. As shown in Fig. 3, the yoke 25 has preferably such dimensions and arrangement that, when collapsed, it rests adjacent or upon the upper face of the body frame 1. To limit the movement of the yoke 25 on its pivots 26, 26, relative to the body frame, stop means are provided, for example, leather straps 27 -27 are passed about the yoke and through loops 28-28 secured to the body frame 1, each of said straps being preferably provided with a series of holes so as to permit its longitudinal adjustment, thus varying the degree of separation of the yoke 25 and the frame 1 in the erecting movement of the seat frame. 7

The seat 23 may be supported in any suitable manner at its rear, as by beingsuspend'ed by leather straps 29-29 connected thereto and to a cross-bar 30 (see Fig. 4:) joining the handle bars 5, 5. a

When the handle bars 5, 5 are folded down upon the body frame and during a part of their erecting movement, the yoke 25 rests upon the body frame and the straps 29-29 are relaxed, thus permitting the seat frame to rest uponor near the body frame 1. During the erecting movement of the handlebars 55, the straps 29, 29 are drawn rearwardly and upwardly-, owing to their described "connection with the crossbar 30, thereby elevating the seat 23 and drawing the same rearwardly with the straps 2%. Owing to their connection with the yoke 25, the side members 24 Swing the latter upwardly to the limit presc'rib'edby the straps 27, 27 When the handle bars have assumed their-erected position they may be locked therein by the toggles 6, 6 or other suitable means. In, such position the straps 29, 29 and the yoke 25 serve to cushion the seat frame and to support the same yieldin'gly without necessary employment of springs. The downwardmovement of the yoke 25 is opposed by the straps 29,29 which are fixedly heldat their rear ends by reason of the locked position of the handle bars 5, 5. It is apparent that by varying the'leng'th of the V swinging handle bars, so as to be collapsed with the seat frame. Fore -ample, referring to Fig. 1, opposite arms31 of a substantially U shaped yoke, are pivoted at 32 at the for ward edge of the sea't'frame; and a similar U shaped yoke havingupstanding arms 33 is pivoted at the rear edge of the seat frame. The arms 31, 33 are connected} by links 34, 35 pivoted thereto, the links 35 having if desired bars 36 connected thereto to present a finished appearance. Preferably both arms 33 of the r'e'a'rU shapedyoke are 77 connected by links 37 with the cross-bar 3'0,

the said linksbeing provided with slots 38 topermit free vertical movement of the connected seat frame members when erected. It will be observed that the sides are.

collapsed forwardly and edgewis'e onto the seat frame with the forward motion of the handlebars, and that they are erected by a reverse motion thereof, such ereo'ting movement beginning when the crossbar 3'0 arrives in the swinging movement of the hendle bars 'at the rear ends of the slots 38: of the links 37. V 7

Suitable means may be provided to limit the rearward or erecting movementof the arms 33, as, for instance, stops '39 laterally extending from brackets a0, secured to the under side of the seat frame and forming bearings ll at their upper ends to receive pintle's 12, serving as pivotal points of support oftheback 43. The latter may be positioned at different points of adjustment by means of the yoke 44 pivoted upon the 1 rear ends of the links-35 and engaging a guiding loop 415' secured to the rear face of the back L3. If desired, the sides may be provided with leather ,orother curtains 146 secured to the links 35 and yoke 31. V

A practicable formof foot support comprises a leather strip H eXtending from the seat and having at its forward end gromets 48 to engage studs 49 upon'the cross portion of the yoke 25. The len'gthof the leather strip 47 is suchthat the foot support normally extends below the plane of the seat frame. If desired, however, the foot support maybe elevated intosubstantially theplane of the seat in any suitable manner, as by providing the supportwith sidestraps '50 havingeyes which may be 7 end V collapsmg the vehicle,

I set forth in the following claims.

fied, as will appear drawn forward and engaged with the studs 49, thus sustaining the foot support in an elevated position, as for example when the back is depressed, so that the occupant may rest in a recumbent position.

Suitable means may be provided for braking the wheels of the vehicle. Heretofore, so far as I am aware, wheel braking mech anism has not been employed upon a folding or collapsible wheel support. My invention therefore coversbroadly the adaptation of suitable braking means to a collapsible or folding wheel support. vVhile the specific embodiment may be variously'modito those skilled in the art, the illustrative construction comprises a braking lever 54 (see Figs. 1 and 7) suitably pivoted upon one of the side frames 9 and having connected thereto a rod 55 passing through the rear or upright portion of sai frame and having pivoted to its rear a cam 56 having a treadle 57. A suitable coil spring 58 between the upturned end of the frame 9 and a collar upon the rod 55, serves normally to release the brake. It may be desired to apply the brake before and this can readily be done by downward pressure upon the treadle 57 before folding the handle bars 5 forwardly.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that my invention provides, without necessarily using springs, means for yieldingly supporting the seat frame, the construction of parts being preferably such that the seat frame may be readily collapsed toward the body frame or elevated therefrom and cushioned by the erecting movement of the handle bars.

Having thus described one type or em bodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for the purpose of limitation, the scopeof the invention being It is b no means indispensable that all the feature s of the invention be used conjointly since they may be used separately to advantage.

Claims:

1. A vehicle comprising in combination, a body frame, handle bars pivoted thereto, a forwardly extending bail pivoted to said frame, a seat, straps connecting said seat to said bail and to said handle bars, means for limiting upward swinging movement of said bail away from said body frame, and toggle means coiiperating with said body frame and. handle bars for supporting said bail and tensioning said straps.

2. A vehicle comprising in combination, a body frame, a swinging member connected thereto, folding handle bars, a seat, means connecting said seat to said swinging member and handle bars, collapsible sides for said seat, and means including lost motion members for collapsing said sides.

3. A vehicle comprising in combination, a body frame, a seat, and means for collapsibly supporting said seat including a swinging member, handle bars, and straps connecting said seat to said swinging member and handle bars.

4. A vehicle comprising, in combination, a body frame; a seat frame; swinging handle bars; supporting bands connecting the seat frame and handle bars; and swinging means connecting the body and seat frames, and provided with limiting means.

5. A vehicle comprising, in combination, a body frame; a seat frame; a forwardly extending yoke pivoted to the body frame; a connection between the yoke and seat frame; and means to connect the yoke and the body frame for positioning the former.

6. A vehicle comprising, in combination, a body frame; a seat frame; collapsible sides connected thereto; erecting means therefor; and one or more stops engaging said side or sides to limit their erecting movement.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

STILLMAN DAY.

Witnesses:

Gno. H. RoAKns, F. A. RUSSELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

